Mike Wells is outta there

Sources say that Mike Wells, sports writer/reporter who covered the Pacers for the Indianapolis Star, is leaving the newspaper for a gig with ESPN. Bully for Mike.

This relates back to Gannett's mad scrambling of its sports desk a few weeks ago.

Following is a portion of the email publisher Karen Crotchfelt and the sports honchos sent out recently involving changes:

"We've also made some changes with our Sports staff, allowing us to showcase our expertise and talent more effectively and in new ways. The changes position us to provide the great coverage and exclusive content we'll need for the re-launch of IndyStar Sports.

"Mike Wells will join Mike Chappell on the Colts beat and become the lead writer.

" Phil B. Wilson will move into a new role as a video journalist and focus on becoming the online host of our sports coverage.

"Terry Hutchens will lead our expanded new efforts on recruiting, focusing primarily on college basketball."

This blog has already reported Hutchens' resignation and jump to Fox digital.

Now the paper is losing Wells to ESPN.

So...will Mike Chappel resume his position covering Colts as No. 1? Who the heck knows?

Way to go, Indy Star.

Best to Mike Wells. And, way to go...out of the Star and on to something better.

Comments

Whatever [unverified] said:

Big babies. Sports was always untouchable even when it came to layoffs. At least nobody lost their jobs.

She got two experienced and "expensive" sports reporters to leave on their own accord.

No need for Gannett to pay severance.

Shareholder Value be praised.

2013-07-19 11:15:29

Hate Gannett [unverified] said:

Anyone else wonder if the move to the Nordstrom site isn't more to compete with Channel 6's downtown studio than for the better of the paper? I hear they're going to install two big screens on the outside of the building ... that seems more of a platform for TV operations than a newspaper. Combine that with Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc., and who needs a print product?

2013-07-19 12:08:46

Jake [unverified] said:

Doesn't she prefer to be known as La Crotchfelt?

Crotchfelt is an old French name thought to originate in pagan ritual games in which the losers were required, with mixed feelings, to submit themselves to tres personal fondling. They eventually formed a society, La Societé Crotchfelt, to write about the pros and cons of their experiences, and gradually became quite famous and accomplished scribes. As the pagan games fell out of favor and their distinctive identity faded, the Crotchfelts were left only the proud name and with a vestigial and degraded journalistic propensity.